Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Nope. Toshiba FlashAir III? Yup. Wireless SD Card, y'all!
Will Smith is a pretty cool guy. Back in the day -- when I was a kid -- I was a big fan of his rapping with DJ Jazzy Jeff. What really made me a fan of his, however, was the classic TV show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. On the program, Will played a nice young man from a poor neighborhood, who moves to a wealthy neighborhood to avoid a life of crime. It is a very funny show, that is forever cemented in popular culture.
Unfortunately, as cool as Mr. Smith is, I cannot store my digital photos inside of him. Hell, even if the actor contained flash memory, I highly doubt he would also have an integrated wireless LAN access point. Well, move over Mr. Bel-Air; its time for the FlashAir, as in the Toshiba FlashAir III. Yes, this is an SD Card with built-in Wi-Fi. True, it is not really a new concept, but Toshiba's implementation seems elegant.
Toshiba declares war on Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with Broadwell-powered Portégé Z20t
The Surface Pro 3 was the best computer of 2014. My love affair with the hybrid PC is no secret; I'll tell anyone who will listen that I love my precious Microsoft computer. Quite frankly, what isn't there to love about a super-powerful laptop/tablet/desktop that comes with an active stylus? Nothing, that's what; it's friggin' awesome.
While it continues to be my favorite computer, a new year is upon us, and 2015 is already looking very promising for technology. Yes, CES is here and everyone is gushing over the latest doodads and gadgets. While much of the show is noise, Toshiba is making quite the impression this year. Case in point, the Intel Core M powered Portégé Z20t -- arguably a Surface Pro 3 clone -- is quite the beast of a machine. Hell, the fact that it is so reminiscent of Microsoft's computer is a positive; Toshiba is simply building on the successful reference that Satya Nadella and company presented to the world.
Microsoft takes the restrictions off Office for Android tablets preview
Microsoft has offered its Office suite to other mobile platforms for sometime now, but Android tablet support is fairly recent. It was in Preview form and there were hoops to be jumped through in order to get access. No matter, the response was still overwhelming, or at least the company claims that is the case.
Now things are opening up as the Redmond-based company announces the expansion of this program to all users. This update to the "testing" allows all users to get access -- no more requests, or begging, through the Google Plus account.
Google brings Android TV to CES with new partners in tow
In 2014 Google debuted Android TV, using Nexus Player as a sort of reference device. The new entry into the crowded market replaced the previous Google TV, which had been around for a while but never really took off. Google hopes the new platform will change the company's fortunes, as it desperately wants to be in your living room.
At the big Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas, the search giant delivered more information about its new platform. Google arrived with announcements of new partners in the way of TV manufacturers offering sets powered by Android TV.
Atari Fit motivates you to exercise with the promise of classic games
January is the time of year when people traditionally decide to lose weight and get fit. Partly it’s because a new year equals a new start, and secondly it’s because the month follows the holidays when we’ve all overindulged and packed on the pounds.
This is the perfect time for companies to release fitness products, and veteran games company Atari is hoping to cash in with the announcement of a new 'gamified' fitness app that offers an unusual nostalgic twist.
MSI Z97A Gaming 6 motherboard -- world's first with reversible USB 3.1 Type-C
As a system builder, I am a sucker for all hardware. What really gets my motor running is when something is the "world's first". Yes, I am an early adopter. What does this mean? I buy unproven new hardware at a premium, just for the glory of having it first. Smart buyers will wait for price drops and bug fixes, but not I!
Today, MSI announces a new motherboard that has a world's first, and quite frankly, it is something the world has been waiting for. Here it is folks, the first-ever motherboard with an integrated reversible USB 3.1 Type-C port! This is definitely something that will have early adopters drooling.
The banking loyalty conundrum: security versus convenience
Online banking feels like an accepted channel for today’s consumers, especially compared with its latest mobile incarnation. Yet, with online attacks becoming more sophisticated, banks must remain vigilant by implementing technology defenses while enabling the online channel to provide the convenience that customers now expect. However, with their technology defenses, banks must be wary of putting both existing and prospective customers off with tedious password-enabled security measures. Creating a delicate balance between strong security and convenient access is an ongoing challenge.
Recent independent research commissioned by Ping Identity discovered that more than a third of customers would abandon their bank altogether for an experience that combined both security and convenience. Furthermore, only 28.7 percent of respondents described themselves as 'very loyal' to their bank. Banks are clearly walking a fine line with their customers.
Stop posting your own Facebook privacy notices -- it's completely pointless and looks silly
It's happening again. Check your Facebook wall and you'll probably find that at least one of your friends has posted a status update indicating that they withdraw the right for Facebook to use the content they've posted to their account. It's written in a pseudo-formal style, and even makes reference to an applicable law. Must be legit, right?
Nope. It's nonsense. Complete and utter twaddle of the most pure and unadulterated kind. By all means post the message to your own wall, but be aware of two things: it will have absolutely no effect on what Facebook is able to do with your information, and it also makes you look a bit silly.
Samsung unveils portable SSD -- blazing fast, smaller than a business card
If you need a portable storage device, then are you are most likely looking to buy an external HDD. They are available in lots of sizes, and they are also pretty affordable. However, they are also slow. Too slow, I would say. So, if you need something that is fast -- that can transfer files quickly and open everything almost instantly -- then a portable HDD is not the answer.
However, a portable SSD would fit the bill just fine. On top of being faster, it will also be more energy-efficient and less sensitive to shocks. Targeting this crowd, Samsung today announced Portable SSD T1, which is about to hit store shelves in three storage trims. And it is so small and light, you can carry it in your pocket.
When the going gets tough the hard drives get rugged
More than ever before we expect our technology to come with us wherever we go and more importantly be able to survive the journey.
The weakest link in the past has usually been storage because even SSDs don't take too kindly to rough treatment. Storage company G-Technology is using CES to launch a solution in the form of its range of rugged drives.
Cut video file sizes in half with IFME
HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, aka H.265) is an amazing video standard which is just as good as its name suggests, routinely producing videos half the size of their H.264 equivalents.
It’s becoming more widely supported, too: the iPhone 6 can use it for FaceTime, Android Lollipop and Windows 10 handle it out of the box, some major applications (CyberLink’s PowerDVD, for example) added support last year.
Apple now sells SIM-free, unlocked iPhone 6, 6 Plus -- be careful which model you buy
Apple is now finally selling SIM-free, unlocked iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus through its online and brick and mortar stores. The new models, which come nearly four months after the two devices launched, are available in all storage configurations, starting at $649 and $749, respectively.
Apple makes things slightly complicated for those looking to purchase an unlocked iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, as the company is advertising two "Unlocked and contract-free" models, for each of the two devices, on its site. The model that is available starting today is labeled "SIM-free", while the other one bears T-Mobile's logo. Be careful which one you buy, if you plan on using it in US or abroad.
Talking to the wall -- Facebook buys IoT speech recognition firm Wit.ai
Facebook wants to talk your language. The latest step to achieving this sees Mark Zuckerberg's social networking acquiring speech recognition startup Wit.ai. The startup describes itself as providing "Natural Language for the Internet of Things" and has been doing so for just 18 months.
No details have been released about any money that has changed hands, but the plan is for the Wit.ai platform to remain open for developers to work with. The company is heavily involved in the Internet of Things, and was in line to work with Nest before Google took over.
Simplicam brings face recognition to home video monitoring, cool or scary?
Security is very much in the news these days, with government surveillance, hacks and the like. However, what about video cameras that can recognize you simply by recording your face? Yes, that technology is also available, it's one of the things that scares people about Google Glass, The technology is there, so folks might as well get used to it.
Simplicam is debuting a home monitoring camera with built in facial recognition at the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. But it also goes a step further, telling the user who is at home.
The Internet Archive now lets you play 2,400 classic DOS games online
In late 2013, the Internet Archive introduced a new area of its site called the Console Living Room which lets visitors play classic console games from systems of the past (including the Atari 2600, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Magnavox Odyssey and Astrocade) in a web browser. In 2014, it made over 900 classic arcade games playable in its Internet Arcade. And now, in 2015, playable DOS games arrive on the site.
If, like me, you spent a lot of the 90s playing games on the PC, this is like a late, but very welcome, Christmas present. There are currently 2,391 games available to play, including classics like Cannon Fodder 2, Boulder Dash, Duke Nukem 3D, Prince of Persia, Championship Manager, The Incredible Machine, Eye of the Beholder (and its sequels), Hexen, Sim City, Wing Commander Academy, and the Kings Quest, Space Quest, and Leisure Suit Larry series -- to name just a few. More titles are promised, and the collection will change over time.
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